A Failure to Thrive
We’ve all seen pictures of them—emaciated little bodies, glassy eyes, ribs protruding. Some are the victims of abuse or neglect. Some are living in extreme poverty. Some are very ill. Doctors sometimes call this condition “failure to thrive.”
This disorder also happens in the plant world. I recently bought two identical zinnias. While the instructions clearly stated to plant them where they would get “6 hours of sun,” I ignored the instructions and put one in the sun and one in the shade. The one in the shade suffered, in a sense, from neglect and abuse. I was also very careless about feeding and watering the tender seedlings.
Without help from me, the one in the sun was watered well by the rain. It grew and produced glorious flowers. The one in the shade? Scrawny, bare, pitiful—a failure to thrive brought about by my bad choices!
Sadly, I believe we can also suffer from “failure to thrive” in our spiritual lives. Unlike the condition in helpless children or neglected plants, though, adults have a choice in whether they flourish or falter.
Paul recognized it when he told the Corinthians that they were like “spiritual babies” who could not tolerate solid food. (1 Corinthians 3:2-3) They had apparently chosen not to thrive.
Jesus describes the condition in one of his lesser known parables:
“Then Jesus told this story: ‘A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.’ Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9 NLT)
In this story, the Father is the vineyard owner, and Jesus is the gardener. We as individuals are the fig trees. Jesus woos us and takes care of us for years. He gives us chance after chance to repent and bear fruit. In time, though, if we fail to respond, we are finally cut off. The Scriptures describe this condition, I think, as hardness of heart. (Exodus 8:32, Mark 6:52, Hebrews 13:3, Acts 19:9)
Jesus explains further: “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16-20 NLT)
Paul explains it a different way:
“Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. . . These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. . .
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:16-22 NLT)
Both Jesus and Paul, then, seem to be saying that a thriving Christian is one who bears “fruit.”
Jesus also adds that those who are in him will be living the “abundant life.” (John 10:10)
And what is the “abundant life?” One article I read recently presented a list of eight attributes of the abundant life*:
- Righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- Peace (John 14:27)
- Mission (Isaiah 61:1-3, 1 John 3:8)
- Joy (John 15:11)
- Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)
- Health (3 John 2:3)
- Provision (2 Corinthians 9:8)
- Expectation (2 Timothy 4:8)
Now, what if we examine the fruit in our lives and the characteristics of the abundant life and come up lacking? What if we realize we are “failing to thrive” in our Christian walk? What do we do? The Scriptures encourage us to take several steps:
- Repent and be saved – “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).
- Devour the Word – “But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4 NLT)
- Obey what the Scriptures teach us: “Be people who do the word, not merely people who hear it and deceive themselves.” (James 1:22 NTE)
- Pray and worship: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NLT)
- Spend time with fellow believers—”Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT)
I once heard Robert McQuilkin, former president of Columbia International University, speak at a workshop I attended at Ridgecrest Conference Center. One thing that he said has stuck with me for years: “As Christians, we are either spiraling up or spiraling down. We cannot plateau.”
How about you? Are you growing daily in your Christian walk? Would those around you see “fruit” in your life? Are you further along today than yesterday? Or do you find yourself slipping back into childish ways, failing to fulfill your mission, wasting time on the trivial rather than the eternal, failing to read the word, pray, and grow? Are you failing to thrive?
These are tough but important questions that I, too, wrestle with as I write this post. May we as brothers and sisters in Christ listen and obey Peter’s words:
“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT)
May we follow Jesus’ example. “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” (Luke 2:52 NLT)
Thanks for reading and sharing each week. Many blessings.